Montana Territory and a band of Assiniboine Indians give Preacher shelter for the winter. But across the border Preacher's old enemy, Willie Deaver, plies another tribe with whiskey, guns and bullets - then directs them to tey out their killing tools on the Assiniboine. The raid reaps a harvest of death, bloodshed, and captives, and Deaver is delighted to learn that Preacher is among the fallen. But in the driving snow, with a handful of survivors, Preacher is rising: red-hot fury in his heart and icy vengance in his gun sight.